Ooh La La Turkey! – Local Chef Ann Kirsebom’s Grand Marnier Sauce adds zing, and a touch of orange, making for a succulent Turkey and over in Ginny Love’s kitchen, she tells you how to prepare everything else for the big Christmas meal, in advance!
If you are looking or a delicious new recipe, something that gives a little more zing to your Christmas Turkey this year, look no further than local chef Ann Kirsebom and her newest gourmet sauce and marinade made with real with Grand Marnier. This Ooh La La sauce adds a hint of orange to the gravy, make for a beautifully moist stuffing and creates a stunning glaze on the bird. (Recipe attached)
Cooking a Turkey is relatively simple, it’s all the dishes that accompany it that isn’t so easy. In her cook book Simply Love, Vancouver author Ginny Love gives a step by step how-to on preparing that huge, daunting meal called Christmas dinner. Perfect for the first time holiday host, the busy work-right-up-until-December-24th-I-can-do-it-all-executive or even the “orphans dinner” potluck, this guide to preparing and hosting the holiday meal is a life saver.
Ginny starts you off as early as now, 2 weeks in advance, with make-ahead traditional dishes that can be prepared and frozen. Cranberry orange sauce can be refrigerated for 3-4 weeks; two weeks out she has you preparing steamed puddings and hard sauce as well as a make-ahead mashed potato that can also be frozen. Two days out she suggests you prepare stuffing and some of the vegetable dishes and the day before the big meal glazed carrots and shaved Brussels sprouts can be made as well as appetizers. The recipes also work well for an orphan’s dinner (a group of single people without family in the city) as you can assign many of these dishes to be prepared in advance and brought along on Christmas day. In her book Ginny gives instructions on roasting the turkey itself as well as needed equipment and supplies and of course a recipe for turkey soup. By Christmas day you are left with nothing but the turkey to cook!
Chef Ann Kirsebom sauces and other food products can be found throughout the Lower Mainland. Look for her at Stong’s in Dunbar, Gourmet Warehouse on East Hastings, all Whole Foods locations and at Urban Fair Yaletown, where Ann herself will be demonstrating and tasting her full line of sauces December 21 – 24 from noon until 7pm.
Chef Ann Kirsebom
Simply Love; A Family Cookbook, is available through Hedgerow Press www.hedgerowpress.com and at these select retail locations at a recommended retail price of $21.95.
Barbara-Jo’s BOOKS TO COOKS
1740 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver 604-688-6755
Stong’s Market
4560 Dunbar, Vancouver 604-266-1401
The Heights Market
4889 Mackenzie Avenue (at 33rd), Vancouver BC
Hagar Books
2176 West 41st Avenue, Vancouver 604-263-9412
And on line at Chapters.ca
978-0-9736882-7-6
Retail price: $21.95
Published by Hedgerow Press, Distributed by Sandhill
Contact: Ginny Love glove@telus.net
OOH LA LA T U R K E Y
Local Chef Ann Kirsebom’s Grand Marnier Sauce adds zing, and a touch of orange, making for a succulent Turkey
RECIPE – 16 portions including leftovers! 1 fresh Turkey 18-20 lbs (We recommend JD Farms in Langley)
STUFFING
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 cups chopped celery with leaves
2 cups chopped onions
1 lb. Bulk country pork sausage (broken into pieces) – optional
2 tart local apples cut into ½ inch cubes
1 cup local hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
6 cups stale best French bread cubes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. crumbled sage leaves
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup top quality chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup Chef Ann’s Grand Marnier ® Gourmet Sauce
TURKEY ROASTING PAN MARINADE / GRAVY
3 ribs celery halved crosswise
1 onion, quartered
1 large carrot, peeled and quartered
3 1.2 cups water
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup Chef Ann’s Grand Marnier ® Gourmet Sauce
¼ cup unbleached all purpose flour
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
PREPARE STUFFING:
heat oil in large skillet and sauté celery and onions over low heat until softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add to the vegetables in the bowl, and stir the apples, hazelnuts, cranberries. Add bread and seasonings and toss lightly. Combine Chef Ann’s Grand Marnier ® Gourmet Sauce and stock, add to stuffing mixture and toss well.
PREPARE TURKEY
Preheat oven to 325. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Stuff the cavity loosely with about 7 cups of stuffing. Skewer or sew shut. Stuff neck area with 3 cups of stuffing. Secure neck skin flap under turkey.
PREPARE MARINADE (which will eventually be used for the gravy)
Arrange a bed of celery, onion and carrot pieces in a large roasting pan. Gently place the turkey on the vegetables, and arrange the neck and gizzard alongside. Pour 3 cups of water into pan.
Set aside in a bowl 3/4’s cup Chef Ann’s Grand Marnier ® Gourmet Sauce and basting brush.
Roast turkey for 4 hours brushing it often with Chef Ann’s Gourmet Sauce with Grand Marnier. Using a baster, take the juices from the bottom of the pan and baste every 15 minutes until Turkey has cooked for a total of 5 hours. Transfer from oven to a heated palter and allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.
While turkey is resting, strain the pan juices into a sauce pan – you should have 4 cups – otherwise add additional water or stock. Heat to a simmer. Stir flour and remaining ½ cup water in small bowl until smooth. Whisk this into the pan juices. Season with salt & pepper and additional Chef Ann’s Grand Marnier ® Gourmet Sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper and serve along with turkey.
With this we recommend Chef Ann Kirsebom’s Cranberry & Onion Confit with Grand Marnier Liqueur as a side condiment or in your leftover turkey sandwich.
CHEF ANN KIRSEBOM
Tequi-Lime ® Gourmet Sauce
O’Rumba ® Gourmet Sauce
O’Plum Sesame ® Gourmet Sauce
Teriyaki Sake ™ Gourmet Sauce
Chef Ann’s Gourmet Sauce with Grand Marnier Liqueur! Ooh La La!
